Redirects

Redirects are mechanisms that instruct a user agent to fetch a different URL than the one requested. They are commonly implemented on the server side but can also be executed on the client side. Redirects help manage moved resources, unify URL structures, and prevent dead links when content is relocated or URLs are restructured.

The most common HTTP status codes are 301 Moved Permanently and 302 Found (temporary redirect). HTTP/1.1 added 303 See Other and 307 Temporary Redirect; 303 is typically used after a POST to indicate the next resource to retrieve, while 307 preserves the original request method. 308 Permanent Redirect is a newer equivalent to 301 with the same semantics. Client-side options include meta refresh and JavaScript-based redirects, which are generally discouraged for accessibility and SEO reasons.

SEO and maintenance considerations: Search engines generally prefer permanent redirects for moved content and may transfer ranking signals through 301/308 redirects, though behavior can vary. Temporary redirects indicate the move is not final and may affect how link equity is treated. Redirect chains (a redirect to another redirect) should be avoided, as should loops. It is important to update internal links and sitemaps, and to monitor crawl errors. When consolidating content, using a canonical URL in addition to redirects can help clarify the preferred resource.

Implementation: Redirects are configured on web servers (for example, Apache with Redirect or mod_rewrite, Nginx with rewrite or return directives) or at the application level. Testing with crawl tools and log analysis helps verify correctness and performance. Redirects improve navigation and resilience but add latency and complexity, so planning and maintenance are essential.